1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermally assisted magnetic head, a head gimbal assembly, and a hard disk apparatus, which are particularly capable of generating near-field light in spite of a simple structure and capable of thermally assisted magnetic recording using the near-field light.
2. Related Background of the Invention
When irradiated with laser light, a nano-order microscopic metal body generates near-field light by a metal atom resonance. By disposing a magnetic recording region in the vicinity of this near-field light it is possible to heat the magnetic recording region and to reduce the coercive force thereof A magnetic head, which performs recording of magnetic information into a recording medium by introducing a magnetic flux from a main magnetic pole into the magnetic recording region in this state, is known as a so-called thermally assisted magnetic head (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-185548). Since miniaturization of the magnetic recording region increases a coercive force, it is effective to use such a thermally assisted magnetic head for improving recording density.
However, there is a problem that an apparatus using a laser light source such as one disclosed in the above patent document becomes complicated.
The present invention has been achieved in view of such a problem, and aims for providing a thermally assisted magnetic head, a head gimbal assembly, and a hard disk apparatus capable of high-density recording, which are capable of generating near-field light in spite of a simple structure and capable of thermally assisted magnetic recording using the near-field light.